Quality of life measures for myasthenia gravis and evaluation of non-motor symptoms

Expert consensus recommendations for improving and standardising the assessment of patients with generalised myasthenia gravis

BACKGROUND

Regular and consistent disease assessment could provide a clearer picture of burden in generalised myasthenia gravis (gMG) and improve patient care; however, the use of assessment tools in practice lacks standardisation. This modified Delphi approach was taken to review current evidence on assessment tool use in gMG and develop expert-derived consensus recommendations for good practice.

METHODS

A European expert panel of 15 experienced gMG neurologists contributed to development of this consensus, four of whom formed a lead Sub-committee. The PICO (Population, Intervention, Control, Outcomes) framework was used to define six clinical questions on gMG assessment tools, a systematic literature review was conducted, and evidence-based statements were developed. According to a modified Delphi voting process, consensus was reached when ≥70% of the experts rated agreement with a statement as ≥8 on a scale of 1-10.

RESULTS

Eighteen expert- and evidence-based consensus statements based on six themes were developed. Key recommendations include: consistent use of the Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living score (MG-ADL) across clinical settings, followed by a simple question (e.g., Patient Acceptable Symptom State [PASS]) or scale to determine patient satisfaction in clinical practice; use of a Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis [QMG] or quality of life [QoL] assessment when the MG-ADL indicates disease worsening; and consideration of symptom state to determine the timing and frequency of recommended assessments. Expert panel consensus was reached on all 18 statements after two voting rounds.

CONCLUSIONS

This process provided evidence- and expert consensus-based recommendations for the use of objective and subjective assessment tools across gMG research and care to improve management and outcomes for patients.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with myasthenia gravis

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of the pandemic on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), anxious-depressive symptoms, feelings of loneliness, and fear of COVID-19 between people with myasthenia gravis (MG) and healthy controls. We also wanted to know in which group the variable fear of COVID-19 interfered the most with the results. This cross-sectional study involved 60 people with MG and 60 healthy controls. Participants using an online platform completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Fear of COVID19 Scale (FCV- 19S). The MG group reported worse levels in HRQoL indicators (p = 0.043- <.001), more severe anxiety-depressive symptoms (p = 0.002), and greater fear of COVID-19 (p < 0.001), but there were no differences in feelings of loneliness (p = 0.002). Furthermore, after controlling for the effect of the fear of COVID-19 variable, the differences remained for physical health indicators, but not for the most of psychosocial indicators (Social Functioning p = 0.102, η²_p = 0.023; Role Emotional p = 0.250, η²_p = 0.011; and HADS Total p = 0.161, η²_p = 0.017). The harmful effect of the COVID-19 pandemic was greater in the MG group, and the perceived fear of COVID-19 had also a greater impact among this group, which has increased its negative effect on their psychosocial health.

Patient-Reported Symptom Severity in a Nationwide Myasthenia Gravis Cohort: Cross-sectional Analysis of the Swedish GEMG Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

To describe myasthenia gravis activities of daily living (MG-ADL) in relation to clinical characteristics in a large Swedish nationwide cohort.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional prevalence cohort study, the Genes and Environment in Myasthenia Gravis study, performed from November 2018 through August 2019, patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) were invited to submit an extensive 106-item life environment questionnaire, including the MG-ADL score. Patients were classified into early-onset MG (EOMG, <50 years), late-onset MG (LOMG, ≥50 years), or thymoma-associated MG (TAMG). Comparisons of disease-specific characteristics were made between subgroups, sexes, and different MG-ADL scores.

RESULTS

A total of 1,077 patients were included, yielding a 74% response rate: 505 (47%) were classified as EOMG, 520 (48%) LOMG, and 45 (4%) TAMG. Mean age at inclusion was 64.3 years (SD 15.7) and mean disease duration was 14.6 years (SD 14.0). Complete MG-ADL scores (n = 1,035) ranged from 0p to 18p, where 26% reported a score of 0p. Higher MG-ADL scores were associated with female sex, obesity, and diagnostic delay (odds ratio [OR] 1.62, 1.72, and 1.69; p adj = 0.017, 0.013, and 0.008) and inversely correlated with high educational attainment (OR 0.59; p adj = 0.02), but not with age at inclusion, disease subtype, or disease duration. Almost half of the population (47%) reported MG-ADL ≥3p, corresponding to an unsatisfactory symptom state.

DISCUSSION

In this nationwide study, comprising more than 40% of the prevalent MG population in Sweden, almost half of the patients reported current disease symptoms associated with an unsatisfactory symptom state, indicating the need for improved treatment options.

Outcome Measures in Clinical Trials of Patients With Myasthenia Gravis

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a heterogeneous disorder whose clinical presentation ranges from mild ocular deficits to severe widespread weakness. This variance poses a challenge when quantifying clinical deficits. Deficits and symptoms are quantified using standardized clinical scales and questionnaires which are often used as outcome measures. The past decades have seen the development of several validated outcome measures in MG, which are used in clinical trials to obtain regulatory approval. In recent years, emphasis has moved from objective assessments to patient-reported outcomes. Despite a growing body of literature on the validity of the MG-specific outcome measures, several unresolved factors remain. As several novel therapeutics are currently in clinical development, knowledge about capabilities and limitations of outcome measures is needed. In the present paper, we describe the most widely used clinical classifications and scales in MG. We highlight the choice of outcome measures in published and ongoing trials, and we denote whether trial efficacy was reached on these outcomes. We discuss advantages and limitations of the individual scales, and discuss some of the unresolved factors relating to outcome assessments in MG.

Quality of life in refractory generalized myasthenia gravis: A rapid review of the literature

Generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG) is a neuromuscular transmission disorder that creates a fluctuating weakness of the voluntary muscles. This study is aimed at understanding the effect that refractory GMG has on the quality of life of patients who suffer from it, and the effect of eculizumab on it. A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Ovid). Eligibility criteria were verified via the title and summary and afterward through the full text. The risk of bias of the included randomized clinical trials was evaluated and the data were synthesized in a descriptive manner. Nine studies were identified that evaluated the quality of life of patients with GMG. Regarding the effect of eculizumab, two studies were identified. The quality of life in patients with GMG is lower compared to ocular myasthenia gravis (MG) and MG in remission, especially in the domains of physical function, physical role, bodily pain, vitality, and social function. Patients treated with eculizumab had a better perception of their quality of life compared to those who received placebo. GMG affects the quality of life more than other types of MG. This outcome is of great importance for the choice of therapeutic options in patients with refractory GMG. Eculizumab generates improvements in the perception of patients' quality of life compared to placebo, making it a relevant therapeutic option in the management of refractory GMG.

Is there any relationship between quality of life and polysomnographically detected sleep parameters/disorders in stable myasthenia gravis?

It is known that quality of life in myasthenia gravis is positively correlated with subjective sleep quality, still no data is available regarding the relationship between QOL and polysomnographically detected sleep parameters and disorders. In this study, we tried to highlighten this relationship, by performing polysomnography. Sleep-related complaints were evaluated in face-to-face interviews with 19 clinically stable MG patients and 26 healthy controls. During the interviews questionnaires assessing sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and Turkish version of the MG-QOL 15-item scale [(MG-QOL15(T)] were administered and then an overnight polysomnography was performed. Sleep disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnea and fatigue were higher, whereas subjective sleep duration was significantly lower, in patients than controls. Excessive daytime sleepiness and poor sleep quality were not different between patients and controls. Other than percentage of sleep stage III, which was negatively correlated with MG-QOL15(T) scores, neither other sleep parameters nor sleep disorders were correlated with MG-QOL15(T) scores. MG composite, subjective sleep duration, fatigue severity and Hamilton depression rating scale scores were found to be positively correlated with MG-QOL15(T) scores. It was shown that decreasing disease severity and enhancing psychological well-being will improve patients' quality of life. We recommend that our findings should be repeated in a large prospective cohort of MG patients.